Food for thought today: I woke up to a chocolate shake that I loaded up with fruit- cherries, blueberries, and a banana. With goji berries and cacao nibs on top. That stuff gets me buzzy busy in my brain! But, before that I spent four minutes meditating on my purple pillow in front of my self portrait mediation painting I did months ago. Four minutes went by very quickly but I wanted to start simple and achievable. There was much brain chatter to quiet down and I enjoyed breathing deeply in that quiet sacred space. Now, on to food!

This is a nutrient density list according to Dr.Joel Fuhrman. The above is the list of top foods with kale being the base for the comparison to all other foods. Missing are some of my current favorites like sea vegetables, cacao, goji berries, and bee products- pollen and raw honey. I'm wondering how these stack up.

Fuhrman's book, Eat to Live sent me down my happy vegan path a bit over a year ago. Before that book I thought you were pretty crazy to eat the vegan way. I felt like eating my own words with side of shame by the time I'd finished Eat to Live, Diet for a New America, and Skinny Bitch.

I love food, as I've mentioned many times before, and being vegan has opened up massive creativity and conscious eating. I totally stole that from Kathy Freston and Oprah, but hey, it really resonates with me. How about you?

The next weekend find from: http://buellerskitchen.com/?p=144 An interview with John Hinds. I'm in a reading mood so I had to make note of this question. Hinds also talks about how he rid himself of arthritis in his hands by eating a vegan diet.

Name a few of the most influential books and resources that you hope other people will read or discover? This could be long! I love to read☺ • The China Study • The Way of the Peaceful Warrior (which actually has some great nutrition info in it as well). • The Pleasure Trap (this book is great! And breaks down a lot more than just nutrition. I think I ear marked almost every page!) • The Warrior Within (Bruce Lee book, his insights to life and martial arts are amazing!). • Light on Life, by B,K.S. Iyengar, this is an incredible book that I re-read all the time. • Laws of the Jungle, by Yossi Ghinsberg. Love this book, he really breaks down how we live and how nature lives. • The Celestine Prophecy – great enlightening story on how we can live. • How to Win Friends & Influence People – GREAT BOOK all should read! • The Monk Who Sold his Ferrari – again great simple ways to live healthier mentally, physically, spiritually. • Toward the Unknown – a martial arts book that makes one really look at why and how we teach. Very enlightening book!A great book on teaching how to eat less and more☺ is The Warrior Diet by Ori Hofmekler

Another great question and answer to take note of: If you were to create a great shake for an athlete what would be in it and when should they drink it? My favorite athlete shake for sure is a spinach smoothie! Mix a cup or so of frozen chopped spinach, half frozen banana, some rice or cashew milk and pea protein and a tablespoon of flax oil. Drink it right after a hard workout and your gonna feel great☺